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Bluetooth adapter for old audio gear?

J

joekapahulu

Active Member
I'm not sure where this ideally should go in the forums? I have 2 systems running vintage McIntosh amps. My wife would like to be able to run her phone thru the system as some of her friends do in their cars. (Neither of our cars are new enough to do it there either.) Any way I was wondering if anyone has pursued aftermarket Bluetooth adapters that would enable us to play music off her phone or Ipad for background purposes. I did some searches and there are pricey aftermarket pieces like from Mass Fidelity @$200 and $30 units from companies in Asia including Logitech. Anyone have any experience here they can share?
 
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I've got a Sure Bluetooth receiver with AptX hooked up to a 1959 Silvertone powered speaker, and it works really well. It's hard, though, to do much else with my phone while playing music, as the audio goes intermittent if I'm multitasking.

Now, in 2017, for a non-portable rig, I'd skip Bluetooth entirely and use a Chromecast Audio. The phone interacts with it via wi-fi, so it doesn't drain the phone's battery or occupy the processor at the same rate as Bluetooth, and doesn't apply a compression codec to the audio.
 
I have the Audioengine B1 (@$190) and am very satisfied. I use it with external DAC but built in DAC should be fine for background music. Only complaint - Power/ connected light is very bright white and can be distracting if in your line of sight.
 
+1 on the Chromecast suggestion. It sounds better that bluetooth, it doesn't drain phone battery, and it's inexpensive.
 
Another vote for Chromecast, provided the devices and apps have support for it. I find that once it is set up, it is far less fussy than Bluetooth can be (especially when you have a lot of paired devices). And the sound quality is far better.

Prior to getting the Chromecast Audio a couple of weeks ago, I was using a little bluetooth adapter: "HomeSpot NFC-Enabled Bluetooth Audio Receiver", from Amazon. The NFC allowed me to initiate pairing simply by tapping my phone to the top of the Bluetooth receiver. And I have to say it has been less fussy than other Bluetooth thingies I own.

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Thx for all the responses. I was aware of Chromecast but did not realize there was a new version. I will have to do some research. Otherwise, the NFC device could be the way to go. The easier it is the better of my wife's use. She has little patience for "all the stereo pieces".
 
The adapter I pictured uses NFC pairing as an option, but I believe it can be done without. You likely have to type in a four-digit code to pair it. It is just a convenience feature.

If the app has the "cast" icon, it can cast to Chromecast. The Chromecast Audio is what you're after--the two video versions only have HDMI outputs, whereas the Audio has a 3.5mm analog stereo output, and a 3.5mm S/PDIF optical digital output built into the same jack. Not sure how it works with ios devices so someone who uses those would have to fill you in there. On Android, apps capable of casting will have the icon. It's a simple matter of tapping the icon and choosing which device to cast to. (Even in the Chrome browser on a computer--I use Pandora and Tidal that way occasionally.)

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The CCA will definitely sound better. But if the casting availability in the apps isn't there, Bluetooth may end up being easier to use. The audio apps on Android I use (Pandora, Tidal, TuneIn Radio) all support it.
 
I can confirm the Chromecast Audio works with an iPad. Also, to get that icon to appear, I think you have to install Google Home on the device first.
 
I am also using the Audioengine B1 and it works beautifully. It's not the cheapest at $150-$200, but it is very well built with excellent range. I just have been able to shoehorn my Yamaha A-S500 into my living room credenza and it is now working with it. The B1 and my Grace Digital tuner really make my recliner listening a great listening experience.
 
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